The Use of Ambiguous Messages as a Strategy to Appeal to Multiple Decision Makers

Devika Banerji, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States

Torsten Reimer, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States

Chris Roland, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States

Abstract

Messages that are tailored to specific audiences (matched
messages) are typically more persuasive compared to messages that are crafted for
a general audience (Hirsh, Kang, & Bodenhauser, 2012). However, tailoring
messages can have the effect that messages are less persuasive for audiences for
which they were not tailored (mismatched messages; Sillince, Jarzabkowski, &
Shaw, 2012). Eisenberg (1984) introduced the concept of strategic ambiguity to
appeal to multiple audiences simultaneously. We systematically compared effects
of matched/mismatched tailored messages with the effects of ambiguous messages on
multiple-criteria choice behavior. We found evidence that ambiguous messages can
be used under certain conditions to simultaneously appeal to multiple audiences
within the context of credit card choices. Using the financial control typology
developed by Shefrin and Nicols (2014) to define different audiences, the study
(154 participants) provided some support for the use of ambiguity as a tool for
tailoring messages to diverse credit-card holders.